The Classic Eggs Benedict recipe consists of an English muffin, Canadian bacon, poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Using a blender sauce recipe makes it easy to prepare. / Nathan Papes/News-Leader

For my Southwest Eggs Benedict, you top the English muffin with guacamole and then top the Hollandaise sauce with green and red salsa. Be sure to use salsa that you know you like so you don't ruin the dish. / Nathan Papes/News-Leader

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Eggs Benedict is one of the most delectable, classic brunch dishes.

A toasted English muffin is topped with salty Canadian bacon, a gorgeous poached egg with a runny, buttery, golden yolk and drizzled with a slightly lemony, buttery hollandaise sauce. Mmmm.

And what better time to prepare a brunch than Motherís Day?

Thereís only one thing wrong with making eggs Benedict: Itís intimidating.

While I have an insanely easy hollandaise sauce, I admit that poaching eggs is challenging, but I have plenty of tips for first-timers. (Note: The recipes below assume you know how to poach an egg; or follow my instructions on Page 3C.)

If poaching sounds like too much trouble, just fry an egg and serve it sunny side up or over easy. I do this all the time and prefer it to a poached egg. A fried egg is not as delicate, but itís saltier, easier and just as good. After all, whatís most important is that gorgeous runny yolk, crunchy bread, salty bacon and buttery sauce.

While I love a classic eggs Benedict, I wanted to include my own spin on the dish, so I crafted a Southwest version, which includes guacamole and two types of salsa. This version would be great with regular bacon instead of Canadian bacon, too.

The California-Style is my freshest version, and itís topped with ripe tomato and avocado slices.

And the New Orleans version is the most decadent, topped with sauteed crawfish tails. You will have leftover crawfish, so serve it over white rice for dinner or lunch the next day. Crawfish tails are extremely rich, so use sparingly. (The crawfish is good over frittata or omelets if you decide not to make eggs Benedict. You can still use the crawfish to top an egg dish).

All of the recipes use the same blender hollandaise sauce that I found online a year or two ago and have used since. Itís so easy and pretty much foolproof.

These are marvelous dishes, so I hope you try them. Happy Motherís Day.

Tips for poaching
an egg

First, expect to lose a few eggs. When I am poaching, I figure two out of every seven will fail. (For this photo shoot, my first egg broke as I took it out of the water.)

(Page 2 of 3)

If youíve never made this dish before, try poaching two or three eggs the night before. If they break, donít be discouraged: The next two will probably be great.

You will want two eggs per muffin because you place an egg on each muffin half.

Itís important to use fresh eggs. Theyíre more likely to stay together in the water. (This is a good reason to get them from a farmerís market.)

Also, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the water. It also helps the eggs keep their shape. (Some people argue against this, but it works for me.)

Water temperature is important. You donít want boiling water. You want water that is just about to simmer (full of bubbles that want to rise). You can also use barely simmering water.

Crack eggs into a small dish or measuring cup before you add them to the water. Then gently slide the egg into the water, submerging that dish or measuring cup into the water.

Cook the egg for four to five minutes.

Hereís a trick I use: I have an old-fashioned metal biscuit cutter, and I place the cutter in the water and then slide the egg into that circle to help shape it. Itís a good cheat method.

After three to four minutes, I gently remove the biscuit cutter and leave the egg in the water for another one to two minutes.

When itís time to remove the egg, use a slotted spoon. (I find plastic is less likely to break the yolk.) It must be slotted, or you will drop a bunch of water on your muffin and make it soggy.

Whenever I use the biscuit cutter method, I also make a traditional one to see which turns out better. I suggest you try both methods.

Remove the poached egg, drain with the slotted spoon and place on the toasted English muffin.

Blender hollandaise sauce

In a blender, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Cover and blend for about 5 seconds.

Place butter in a glass measuring cup. Heat butter in the microwave for 45 seconds, or until completely melted and hot. Set the blender on high speed, and pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream. It should thicken almost immediately. Keep the sauce warm until serving by placing the blender container in a pan of hot tap water.

(Page 3 of 3)

Classic Eggs Benedict

4 English muffins 8 to 16 slices of Canadian bacon, depending on thickness. (If itís not very thick, double up on the bacon.) 8 poached eggs Blender Hollandaise Sauce Butter (optional)

Toast English muffins, and if desired, butter warm muffins. Set aside.

Heat Canadian bacon. Poach eggs and place a slice of Canadian bacon and one egg on each half of an English muffin.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add flour and stir continuously for 3-5 minutes until flour starts to turn light brown. Do not stop stirring, or it may burn. Add onions and celery and cook 3 minutes. Add green pepper, Cajun seasoning and bay leaf. Cook 2 minutes. Add crawfish and broth and cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce to low to keep warm while you poach eggs.

Toast the muffins, heat the Canadian bacon and set aside.

Poach eggs.

Place half an English muffin on a plate and top with Canadian bacon, then the poached egg, hollandaise sauce and a spoonful of crawfish mixture. Serve immediately.